A Xhosa prince recently declared that anyone who didn't vote in the local elections was a counter-revolutionary, but stopped short of nailing royalty colours to any party mast.
A Xhosa prince recently declared that anyone who didn't vote in the local elections was a counter-revolutionary, but stopped short of nailing royalty colours to any party mast.
Makana's citizens must exercise the democratic right that many men and women had died for, by voting, Prince Burns-Ncamashe, of the Rharhabe tribe, told municipal officials, fellow members of the royal family and other VIPs at a gala dinner at the City Hall last Wednesday night.
The occasion was part of the two-day Makana Freedom Festival, which had kicked off earlier that day. "We are gathered here for a very important purpose in terms of the evolution of our history and country," Prince Burns-Ncamashe said. "We are gathered here at a time when South Africans are faced with opportunity to take decisions in terms of placing their future."
He said public representatives must be elected who would advance the cause in the same way as local struggle hero, Makhanda ka-Nxele, "whose blood was shared so that today we are able to live in a democratic and multi-racial South Africa".
"Makhanda, a man, a leader, a hero, a warrior, at a time when it was so difficult to confront the colonial powers, sent a message to the main colonel that [said]: expect to enjoy breakfast with me," Burns-Ncamashe said. "And the breakfast was nothing else but a courageous commitment to defend the freedom of his own people."
He warned that there was an attempt to undermine democratic gains and declared, "It is counter-revolutionary for any South African to decide not to vote on the 18 May". "We should make sure that all the citizens of this municipality on the 18 May participate in the process that will ensure that their practical involvement in decision-making as to who should take the responsibility to advance a programme that is able to deliver a better life to the people," he said.
"The reality is that the freedom that we enjoy today is the right to vote today.” Explaining the royal position in relation to political parties, Burns-Ncamashe said, "Fortunately from the royal house we are not party political.” He said they were political in the sense that they had the ability to respond to and question things that happened around them. “That renders us political beings,” he said.
“It is only when one is trapped in the dogma of political ideological concepts that one becomes party political.” Burns-Ncamashe challenged the municipality, together with Rhodes University, to continue to teach the community about Makhanda. He said South Africans should come together every year to discuss and learn about his legacy.
